4-Player Games
Rules that have been questioned in the past or the league feels are of the upmost importance are in red. If you are playing in our 4's league you are expected to be familiar with the following rules, and the league directors will have a copy for reference at all the leagues.

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The safety of the participants is of paramount importance.

Any dangerous or potentially harmful hazards should be removed from the area of competition.

The participants are expected to know and understand the laws of the game of volleyball.

Players shall call and enforce the appropriate penalties for their own infractions (faults).

The court lines or boundaries and the area inside the lines are IN.

Rule 1 ~~~~~ Contacting the Ball

The ball must be struck or hit.

Rule 2 ~~~~~ Service

Service is the act of hitting the ball from behind the endline and between the sidelines at the start of play in an attempt to direct the ball into the opponent's IN area of the court.

The same player continues to serve until the serving team commits a fault.

Teammates shall alternate service sessions for their team.

The ball must be tossed or dropped before being hit for service. (Once the ball has been tossed or dropped for service it must be hit. Should the ball strike the ground without being hit it is a fault and service is awarded to the other team.)

After being tossed or dropped, the ball must be hit with one hand or any part of the arm.

Service Order: Once a service order (rotation) has been established for the four players they must follow the same order (rotation) throughout the game.

Rule 3 ~~~~~ Play

Once the ball is put into play by service, play continues until one team commits an infraction of the laws or rules (fault).

Rule 4 ~~~~~ Infractions of the Laws or Rules (Faults)

A. The commission of a fault results in the stoppage of play.

Simultaneous faults by opponents will result in a replay.

A player involved in the action of Hitting or Blocking shall be penalized for the commission of a fault, even after the ball has contacted the ground, if he contacts the net prior to getting his body under control, before or after returning to the ground. Example: A player, after blocking the ball to the ground in the opponent's court, lands, then contacts the net, even though the touch of the net occurs after the ball has struck the ground, he will still be charged with a net fault.

B. Infractions (Faults) occur when:

If the ball contacts the net on the service and proceeds to land on the opposing side within the boundaries, it is NOT a fault.

If any part of the ball touches the pole, its hardware, or goes over the pole it is a fault.

The ball contacts the ground, floor, or any area deemed out of play.

Court Boundary: If the line moves, the ball is in, unless the ball lands clearly outside the line.

The server during the service action touches the endline, sideline, or the IN area of the court.

Foot Fault: If the line moves, it is a fault, unless the server clearly and obviously did not touch or move the line.

Service Area: You may serve from anywhere behind the endline and between the sidelines. The last contact with the ground for both feet of a server prior to contacting the ball must take place behind the endline and between the sidelines.

The ball after being contacted by the server contacts anything prior to completely passing over the net and into the opponent's side of the court.

The ball is not clearly and cleanly hit.
Lift: Any ball that comes to a rest is a fault.

Soft Shot (Tip): Any open hand soft shot that is directed by contact with the pads of the fingers is a fault. The ball must be hit.

A player or his clothing contacts the net.
Hair: Hair contacting the net is not considered a fault.

Net Movement: If the net contacts the player due to the ball contacting and moving the net it is not considered a fault.
Intentionally creating or allowing contact with the net while attempting to deflect, or deflecting the path of a ball on the other side of the net is a fault.

Interpretation of above fault: If a player (not in the act of blocking a ball that may come over the net) sees that a ball played by the opposing team will contact the net and remain on their side, and he then positions his hand or another body part in such a way as to disrupt the path of the ball through contact with the ball in an attempt to deflect the ball away from the opposing player, he shall be considered to have committed a fault.

A team contacts the ball more than three times before returning the ball to the opponent's side of the net with the following exception.
Blocking: You may block the ball on the opponent's side of the net by reaching over the net. You may only block a ball that has been directed by the opposing team into your court or if the opposing team has contacted the ball their allotted three times. The block does not count as one of the team's three hits.

A player contacts the ball two or more times in succession with the exception of the team's first contact. If the first contact of the ball is played overhand using the fingers, double, succesive, or prolonged contact with the ball is a fault.

Double Hit: You may double hit the ball on your team's first contact of the ball as long as it would be considered one attempt to play the ball. You may not play the ball with an open handed setting motion and have multiple contacts except in defense of a hard spiked ball. In defense of a hard spiked ball a "beach dig" is allowed. You may only "beach dig" a hard spiked (hard driven) ball. A Serve is never considered a hard spiked ball. A hard spiked ball is defined as a ball that has been hit from above the height of the net directly toward the ground with NO UPWARD ARC in the trajectory of the ball and with significant velocity. A ball that has touched the net or blocker {may or may not} be considered hard spiked.

A player contacts the ball when the ball is completely on the opponent's side of the court, except during a legal block.
Attack Over: You may not touch a ball that is not at least partially on your side of or above the net except during blocking. (See Blocking Interpretation for further explanation.)

You may not play a ball once it has passed completely over or under the net between the poles. A player may retrieve a ball that has passed the centerline either over or outside of the poles. The ball *must* be returned to the player's court either outside or over the poles.

A player crosses the centerline and interferes with his opponent's ability to play the game.
Centerline: You may cross the centerline as long as this does not interfere with your opponents.

Players: Please Do Not Endanger Another Player

The ball is hit before being tossed or dropped for service.

The ball is caught or strikes the ground after having been tossed or dropped for service before being hit. Once the ball is tossed you must serve it. If the ball strikes the ground or is caught without being hit after being released for service it is a fault and service is awarded to the other team. You are no longer permitted a second attempt to serve if you don't like your toss.

Rule 5 ~~~~~ Rally Scoring

Whenever a team fails to serve properly, return the ball or commits any other fault, the opposing team wins the rally with one of the following consequences:
1. the serving team scores a point and continues to serve
2. the receiving team scores a point and gains the right to serve

Rule 6 ~~~~~ Substitution

Substitution is not permitted.

Rule 7 ~~~~~ End of the Game

Each team attempts to accumulate a predetermined number of points before their opponents.
When the point total is reached the game is ended.

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LIVA has also adopted the following rules:

Time Outs: ~~~~~ Each team may take one time-out per game.

Rotation of Position: ~~~~~ You need not rotate positions.

Incorrect Service Order: ~~~~~ There is no penalty for serving out of order. Correct the error when (if) discovered.

Changing sides: ~~~~~ In games to 21 change sides every 7 pts. In games to 15 change sides every 5 pts.

Games are played to 21, cap of 23. Three games are played no matter who wins the first two.

Forfeits: ~~~~~ If a team is not prepared to play at the start of their match they shall be penalized one loss for the first 10 minutes, and a loss every five minutes thereafter. You must have at least three players on the side to begin play.

Protests:~~~~~ If a team protests to the league director they will be charged all of their remaining time outs, whether or not the protest is upheld.

League Director: ~~~~~ The League Directors will have the final decision on all matters. The Directors may and will do whatever is necessary to finish the session, including shortening or changing the number of games, etc.

One female player must be on the court at all times.